I just returned from a phenomenal diving adventure (2/24 - 3/6/08) which included Coral Island, Phi Phi, Shark Point, Anemone Reef, Ko Doc Mai, Christmas Rock; Three Trees, Beacon Reef, all Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock - Surin Islands. I did 18 dives and took approx. 700 underwater pix. which mostly turned out great despite the fact that I am not a "photographer". I saw unbelievable reefs, colorful, healthy coral, abundant, vibrantly colored fish, white tip reef shark, leopard sharks, moray eels, blue spotted sting ray, lionfish, cuttlefish, mantis shrimp and so much more. I went by myself, having made contact before I left with a private dive instructor -- exceptional experience -- Ross James, an American from Oregon who has been living and teaching diving in Phuket, Thailand for a couple of years. He made all my arrangements, picked me up from the airport, suggested all the different dive sites, accompanied me on all the dive boats, including liveaboard to Similan and Surin Islands, and on all the dives. He was extremely reasonable and all the diving I did, all the boat trips, etc. were great -- safe, fun, great dive sites. Ross made all the arrangements and there isn't one that I would have changed. The only thing I might have done differently was to stay on liveaboard longer. I would HIGHLY recommend contacting him and using his services if you are thinking of an exceptional dive experience divingandsnorkelling@gmail.com You won't be disappointed. Bonnie
Diving in Phuket, Similan Islands, Surin Islands
- Thread starter bleesr
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Bowmouth
Contributor
Although I'm sure Ross is a fine Instructor with a great personality I would not recommend anybody to book trips with individuals who likely work not legally in Thailand. Instructors like this often are unreliable, may carry no insurance for themselves or their diver clients, may get in trouble with local authorities while working and are mainly interested in reaping a quick profit and are contributing nothing to Thailand and its people.
Book with an established divecentre. There are MANY fine diveshops with GREAT Instructors in Phuket and Thailand...
Book with an established divecentre. There are MANY fine diveshops with GREAT Instructors in Phuket and Thailand...
Gosh -- Ross is a PADI certified dive instructor -- very reliable and professional. Two of the "dive centers" you spoke about told us we would have to pay more after we had finished our boat trip and dives -- even after having made arrangements and paid up front!!! Two places -- not just one, so even the dive shops are corrupt!!!
Ringo
Contributor
Bleesr - sorry this all sounds very fishy to me. Your implications on the 2 dive shops mentioned - you had to pay more after you paid up front? Why dont you elaborate exactly to fill us all in? For example which boats did you go on? On all of the boats there are supposed to be set prices. Could you imagine if you were the owner of the boat and an agent/Freelance Instructor sells the trip cheaper (or as you say 2 shops charged you more) than yourself? How would you explain that to the rest of the divers who paid the correct price via other agents or by booking directly.
Hoping that you can explain more and in the meantime apologies if I have misunderstood your post.
Chantal
Batfish
Contributor
"Bleesr" - you said you had made contact before you left with Ross and he made all your arrangements... so, please explain why you then say "Two of the "dive centers" you spoke about told us we would have to pay more after we had finished our boat trip and dives -- even after having made arrangements and paid up front!!!" - now surely if you had already arranged everything with Ross, then he would be the one to pay extra for you or he had undercharged you, or give you an incorrect price ... like Ringo I seem to be missing something in your story.
Bowmouth
Contributor
Dear, dear Bleesr and/or (very reliable and professional) Ross,
We now all know that Ross is a fantastic, reliable, professional, great, outstanding dive professional and that he REALLY is the guy to dive with. I hope you will have many more fine dive adventures with him and that he shows you all the sites around Phuket that only he knows so well and so much better than anybody else.
But PLEASE, do NOT waste any more space on ScubaBoard with your silly implications and accusations about "corrupt" Dive Centers.
Thank you!
Un-reliable, Un-professional and un-friendly Bowmouth.
Batfish
Contributor
PS - in case you are not aware, Bowmouth has no affiliation with any Phuket dive center, but has been here a loooong time, and I would agree with everything he has posted above, except he's not unfriendly
stevenl
Contributor
Does he have workpermit and TAT license BTW?
Bowmouth
Contributor
If you mean Bowmouth then Yes; he has a workpermit and has had one here in Phuket for 13 years now. At the moment he's "dry" and helping out in a dive retail shop on the island. He's waiting for a more serious job though in the offshore business.
If you mean Ross than I think it will be a big fat NO!
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